BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/11/2007

Chavez blamed in Belarus for shortage of milk

Ensuring supply of powder milk and baby formulas has been a top priority for the authoritarian Belarus President Aleksander Lukashenko, a former head of a collective farm and who has a good eye to know what is needed to preserve people's support.

However, such products are missing in the shelves of state-run supermarkets, and consumers in the former Soviet republic are blaming especially Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, DPA reported.

These days for finding baby formulas or any substitute people has to resort to the black market or to barter.

State television channel Bel-1 has deliberately disregarded the shortage of powder milk. Last week, however, Bel-1's news show branded economic talks between Minsk and Caracas as "a diplomatic breakthrough."

Belarus is reportedly exporting a first shipment of 1,200 tons of fortified powder milk to Venezuela in December.

Trade relations with Venezuela are a topic the Belarus state media are reporting widely.

In October, Lukashenko said Belarus engineers would take part in exploration activities in Venezuelan oilfields. Last summer, the media reported that Belarus was exporting faro machinery and military weapons sights for night vision to Venezuela. And this time, they are reporting the sale of powder milk.

Source:

http://www.eluniversal.com/2007/11/16/en_pol_art_chavez-blamed-in-bel_16A1199117.shtml

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